His Vampire Kiss
by Damonfan123
Summary: Stefan is on a trip, and Elena misses him more than anything. But she's trapped in the Salvatore mansion with Stefan's erratic yet sexy older brother, Damon. Can she hold out against him?
1. House-guest

I breathed in deeply, smelling the earthy odor of Stefan still lingering on his pillow. I missed him so much, I'd resorted to sleeping in his room every night, abandoning the one he'd left me with during his absence. Surely, I was grateful for the fluffy white pillows and pink rugs that adorned my custom-made room in the "Salvatore mansion", but my mind and body found the place nearest to Stefan the most comfortable. Everything about his room made me long for him all the more, but still, it was a solace to lay on his sheets, the ones we'd shared so many nights. And now those nights seemed like ages ago! And it had only been a few days since he left.

I frowned from beneath my mussed bed-head. Stefan had left for a town in New York in hopes of finding other vampires or witches there who might know how to kill Klaus. Ever since he'd been released from Klaus's terrible compulsion, he'd been obsessed with revenge. I understood where he was coming from, though I wasn't much into vengeance myself. But I knew being a vampire amplified even small emotions, and Stefan's resentment of the original vampire was far from small. I wanted Stefan to find peace from his trip. I wanted all of this chaos and anger to be laid to rest, literally, so that we could go on living our lives in normalcy. It would be a relief to be able to relax after over a year of constant drama and danger.

Anyway, Stefan planned the trip to be around three weeks. If it took longer than that, he would stay. I prayed to whatever God may exist that the trip wouldn't be extended. I couldn't bear being all alone in this house without him! My love.

Well, I wasn't exactly alone. Damon was always hanging around somewhere. Damon was Stefan's older, diabolical brother. I used to think Damon was pure evil, but since his arrival in Mystic Falls we've formed a precarious sort of friendship. He has been hurt so many times, it's easy to see why he is the way he is, always dangerous and dark. Sometimes he could be downright terrifying, but then, sometimes he was sweet and funny. When it came down to it, Damon was able to make the tough decisions when necessary without letting his humanity get in the way. It came off as impulsive, and it was, but it was also convenient and in some ways better than Stefan's human kindness and conscience, even if it made him less likeable and reliable.

Another thing about Damon: He was undeniably hot. His black hair and dark features served to highlight his brilliant blue eyes. His eyes were impossibly light and intense, peering out from his expressive face with a piercing effect. His cheekbones were sculpted architecturally, his jaw smooth and even. His lips appeared soft and plump. His beauty was a mix between boyish perfection and masculine muscle and strength. He knew he was handsome, and he used it to his advantage when he wanted sex or blood. He could woo any lady into letting him have what he wanted. Sometimes I even feared for myself.

But no. I loved Stefan. That was a fact. And Damon would never be right for me.

Since Stefan had left, Damon had been acting normally, or at least, normal for him. He and Alaric had gone out drinking pretty much every day, talking I presumed about plans to kill Klaus. I trusted them to come up with something while I was trapped in the boarding house. I wasn't allowed to go home because of Klaus. He wanted my blood to make more hybrids and neither Stefan nor Damon were willing to let me go home, just in case one of them wasn't there to protect me. Having vampires around you all day sure did make you realize just how weak and needy you were as a human.

Oh well, better human than stuck living an eternity of murderous guilt and misery.

I looked out the window, sitting up in bed. The early rising sun was shining through the thick glass panes. I guess it was time to get up.

I walked downstairs, not bothering to scan the kitchen for anything to eat. Understandably, the boarding house was predictably devoid of food. I was depending on snack-machine granola bars to hold me until lunch. That reminded me, I had to grab some money for my purse…

"Ooo, look who's awake!" Damon purred from his perfectly still position against the door frame of the living room, looking shamefully angelic for such an early hour.

"How long have you been awake?" I said in an almost annoyed voice. It wasn't fair that anyone should be so chipper this early in the morning.

"Oh, you know, a few hours…late night…" He smirked knowingly at me, waiting to see my disgusted reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

"I have to go to school in ten minutes, are you going to take me or should I call Bonnie?"

He stared at me without blinking, impaling me like a fluttering butterfly with his icy gaze. I barely noticed his lips move to say he was getting the car. I shook myself, what was I thinking? I needed to find a way to stop him from getting to me so easily.

I went to walk back upstairs to get dressed in my usual sweater and jeans. Just as I was about to pass through the doorway, Damon was standing in front of me.

"What the Hell?" I exclaimed in surprise. I never ceased to be amazed at his ability to virtually teleport to wherever he wanted to be. Normally he didn't do it just for fun though. I looked up into his eyes, adrenaline coursing through my stunned body.

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast before going to school?" He was grinning down at me with almost childlike delight. I wasn't used to this side of Damon. It seemed like he was up to something, but I realized he must be proud of himself for remembering I was a human with human needs. "Stefan would kill me if I didn't take care of you." And just like that his eyes and mouth were back to their usual unreadable position. I sidestepped him and walked to the kitchen without comment.

I opened the first cupboard I saw and it was filled with cereal, oatmeal, bread, and an array of granola bars. I grabbed for the first bar I saw, not even bothering to look in the fridge. I was in a hurry! I didn't have time for Damon's shenanigans.

When I went to leave the kitchen, Damon had a pouty face on, as if I'd insulted him by failing to notice his clear efforts to appease me. I gave him a smile, feeling guilty.

"Thanks, Damon."

"No problem." He said before again disappearing back into the living room.

As I made my way back up the stairs, I thought about the odd morning I'd had so far. First, Damon hints about his late night, then I find a caring food drive waiting for me in the kitchen? Something had to be up, I just didn't know what.

I got dressed and packed my stuff up without another thought. When I went downstairs, Damon was swinging the car keys around his lithe fingers. He looked up when I walked in, then turned around to head outside. I couldn't help but marvel again at his frame. Even with his trademark black sweater on I could sense his muscled back underneath of it. His black hair flopped perfectly against the nape of his neck…

In the car, we sat in virtual silence the whole way to school. I kept sneaking peeks of him from under my lashes. I expected to see him looking over at me, but never once did I catch him with his eyes anywhere but on the road. This only served to make me more anxious to get to school and out of the dark vampire's car. My view of his profile sent butterflies through my stomach. Just looking at him caused undeniable disbelief to saturate my mind. How could someone, something, so dangerous and unpredictable be so impossibly handsome?

By the time we pulled in the student lot my heart had quickened noticeably. I knew Damon could hear my heartbeat, but still I told myself he had no idea why. Unfortunately, fooling myself was not one of my strong suits. Doubts swirled in my mind. He knew the effect he was having on me without even saying a word. However, his face showed no recognition.

I went to hastily swing open the car door and scurry into school, but my wrist was caught by his strong grip just as I reached for the door. I turned my head to catch his intense glare. His blue eyes burned into mine, stopping my breath in my throat.

"Be careful. I'll be here to pick you up immediately after school." He said in an insistent monotone akin to a growl, though less angry.

I could only nod, and when he released my arm, I made my way to school like a zombie. My mind was hazed by thoughts of his words and face. I found the resonating emotion in my body to be fear. He seemed unstable somehow. Like he could at any moment erupt into one of his fits of passion, rage, violence, or lust. I didn't want to be around when the carnage went down. I also didn't want any of my friends to be in his way when he inevitably went to feed on one of his rampages. Caroline had already given enough blood to the depraved version of Damon. Matt or Jeremy could be next…

Stop. I was way overreacting. So what, it had been one morning with Damon and already I was concocting worst case-scenarios in my head on my way to school? This was crazy. Damon was fine. Maybe it was I who needed to take a chill pill.

The school day passed by in a blur. I paid attention as best as possible, even during Alaric's unbearably boring history lecture. Sometimes it was a struggle just to stay awake in his class! The final bell rang with a relieving clang at exactly 2:37. I exhaled an made my way back to the parking lot, Caroline and Bonnie at my side.

"So, how were things this morning at hotel Salvatore?" Caroline asked in a dramatically sarcastic voice. She hated the idea of Damon being anywhere near me after what he had done to her.

"Oh, the same. Lonely and, well, vampire-y."

Bonnie laughed at my attempt at a joke, though it was obvious she found my awful sense of humor to be the funniest part of my statement.

"I see Damon's driving you?" Caroline asked coolly. Having known her for my entire life, I automatically sensed the questions she had for me.

"Yeah, he's seemed pretty obsessed about my safety since Stefan's left. I guess he just wants to keep his word to his brother."

"Sure, whatever…" Caroline replied, distracted by glaring into the tinted windows of Damon's sports car. I hurriedly said my goodbyes to my disapproving friends and slid into the passenger seat.

Damon must've had the AC on because when I got in, the frigidity lured goosebumps from my arms. He immediately reached for the knob and turned it off.

"Sorry, I forget. I can't really feel the temperatures that well." He said gruffly, barely hinting at any concern for my frozen limbs.

"How was school?"

I wasn't sure how to answer. There was no way he really wanted a detailed description of my mundane day, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Oh, it was fine. You know, Alaric's class was boring as ever." I rolled my eyes, forcing a smile.

"Uh-Oh. I am so telling him you said that." Damon grinned mischievously, eliciting a laugh from me.

When we got to my temporary home, Damon was out of the car and at my door before I could blink. He opened it for me, smiling in a gentlemanly fashion. His soft lips parted slightly to reveal his perfectly straight, white teeth. Not many would guess that lurking beneath the surface were two razor sharp fangs that constantly hungered to surface. I hadn't seen Damon many times with his vampiric face. He was much better at control than Stefan. But those few times I had witnessed it, I was struck with the sheer ferocity and terror of it. Yet simultaneously, it was enticing, still sexy. The darkness around his bloodshot eyes had only served to highlight their blueness and strength.

That face look was very different from the one he wore now. So much so that I remembered how easy it was for him to fool those around him into thinking he was a normal human.

"Thank you," I murmured in a surprised tone at his kind deed. I shouldered my heavy backpack and made my way to the front door. Damon strode a few steps ahead of me, barely pausing at the door to swing it inward and out of the way. The Salvatore boarding house was full of old relics and antiques. Rugs covered much of the hardwood floors, decorated with intricate oriental patterns. Vases and books scattered the innumerable shelves. Sometimes it reminded me of a museum.

Damon had disappeared somewhere into the bowels of the old house, leaving me still standing in the entryway, debating starting my homework or relaxing with my laptop. I chose the latter option, always the procrastinator. I headed to the kitchen in search of a snack. I made my way through the maze of rooms and hallways, struck with the eerie feeling that one gets in old, empty houses. Not to mention the fact that it was occupied by vampires. I almost laughed at the absurdity of my situation. Finally I arrived at my destination.

I opened the cupboard which Damon had stocked this morning. To my surprise, it was empty. I turned around, ready to check another door. Instead, I was met with the muscular physique of a certain sneaky vampire.

"Boo." Damon murmured under his breath, keeping me cornered between his hard chest and the open cabinet. I inhaled sharply, stunned by his sudden proximity. His face was so close to me that I could feel his cool breath on my eyelashes. His arms stretched to the wall on either side of my head, forming an inescapable box. Then, just like that, he was halfway across the kitchen, back to me.

"Were you looking for something, silly human?" Damon asked me with a hint of humor in his voice.

I briefly wondered if Damon was always this bipolar or if he was just hungry. "Yeah, actually, what happened to all the food? Did you eat it?" I added the last question as an unsure jab. I couldn't be sure what type of mood Damon was really in, so I tried to test the waters.

"Very funny, Elena." He turned, smiling nonchalantly. "In fact, I have organized the Salvatore kitchen, seeing as we have a new…delicate guest. What do you want?"

Damon? Organizing? Playing host? I almost burst into laughter on the spot. Maybe he was hoping to woo me while Stefan was away. If so, his efforts would be fruitless. I knew who he really was. He couldn't fool me into thinking he was a makeshift Stefan.

"Oh, I don't know…Do you have any fruit? Like an apple or something?"

Damon really did break out into a boyish, angelic grin then. He flashed over to the fridge and pulled out an apple almost before I'd finished asking the question. He appeared in front of me with the apple held out delicately in his hand. I couldn't help but notice his tapered wrists and strong fingers as I tentatively reached out to take his offering.

"Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll get myself something." Damon smoothly uttered, eyeing me for my inevitable wince.

"Don't worry, I'm just grabbing a blood bag, Elena! That is, unless you're offering." Damon stepped closer to me again, forcing me to acknowledge his striking figure. Fear did cause my heart to skip a beat, never knowing for sure what the dangerous dark angel was capable of. He smirked, obviously able to hear my fear. Then he sauntered to the basement, leaving me still frozen in place, marked with conflicting sentiments.

What on earth was up with him?

I knew Damon liked me. I even had a hunch that he loved me, in his own selfish, twisted way. Whether it was my resemblance to Katherine, his lost love, or brotherly jealousy, I was almost sure that Damon wanted me away from Stefan and closer to him. In some ways this realization had been liberating. What girl doesn't like to feel wanted? But I banished these thoughts to the back of my mind, always remembering that it was Stefan who had saved me and Stefan who I loved. But with Stefan's absence and Damon's odd behavior of late, I couldn't help but worry that Damon would take this opportunity to act on his emotions. He was not good at internalizing. It wouldn't be long before he revealed his true colors. I only hoped that when he did I would be safe from his rage. If his handling of the Katherine situation was any suggestion as to his nature when he was rejected, I might be in serious trouble.

That night, I walked to my bedroom-well, Stefan's bedroom-like a zombie. I was exceptionally tired, again at Alaric's hand. The killer history homework had kept me up well past eleven! I groaned inwardly at the prospect of five more months of schoolwork before the freedom of summer would release me from my teachers' death-grips.

In the bathroom, I grabbed my toothbrush and plopped a glob of pale blue paste onto its bristles. I was on complete autopilot. It had to have been at least two minutes before I recognized that an unusually piercing pair of blue eyes were staring at me from the mirror. I yelped in surprise, whipping around hurriedly. There, leaned against the tub, was my annoying housemate. I was getting sick of his casual appearances and disappearances around here! I was becoming paranoid.

Sensing my petulance, Damon decided to break the ice.

"Why are you sleeping in here still? You know he's not going to magically appear, right?" There was a hint of acid in his voice. He looked a little drunk.

"Ummm…where else would I sleep? Forgive me if I don't have the proper excitement for under furnished guest rooms that have never been slept in." My sarcasm lit a fire in his demeanor.

"You don't have to sleep in a guest room. I just thought you might prefer someplace a little less cluttered. You know, Stefan's a bit of a hoarder. Aren't you worried about ghosts of relics past invading your dreams?"

"No. Where would you have me go?" I feared I knew the answer without asking.

"You could sleep in my room. It would make it a hell of a lot easier to protect you."

I didn't know how to respond. There was no way I was sleeping in Damon's room, but I didn't want to upset him, especially if he had been drinking. Unluckily for me, Damon didn't even wait for a response.

"You need to stop thinking about it. Like that, I can see it in your face. I know you want me. Do you think I don't notice you staring at me? Do you think I can't tell when your heart skips a beat? Why can't you just admit it to yourself? Admit it. Right now, I bet you want me to carry you into my room myself."

That was most definitely not what I wanted.

"No, Damon. Stop! You are obviously drunk. I am not going to your room."

"Hmm, what was that, little girl? We'll see." Damon lurched toward me, his face betraying his anger at my refusal. He caught me around the waist, yanking me against him. I desperately pounded my fists onto any part of him I could. He showed no pain or response to my flails.

"Ah ah ah, Elena, you know that's not going to work. Come on, we're going."

I stopped my efforts, knowing full well what little effect they were having. I had to talk some sense into him. He wasn't listening. Either that, or he didn't care to hear.

Damon picked me up swiftly, smiling down on me with his white teeth. His lips were so close to mine, it was like electricity was crackling between them. I was momentarily entranced by his embrace, unable to move or protest. Before I knew it, Damon had whirled down the hallway, me in haul, and swung open the door to his bedroom. He slowly walked to the bed and set me down on it, smiling in satisfaction.

"What the Hell are you doing!? Since when is it okay for you to pick me up and carry you to your room, which I expressly told you I did not care to sleep in?" I was nearly shouting in frustration.

"Since I decided it was. Listen," Damon held my shoulders in a grip that bordered somewhere between gentle and crushing. I worried momentarily about his ability to control his strength in his state. "I need to make sure that no one finds you. I need to protect you. I promised I would keep you safe, and this is one step towards doing that successfully. So get over your girly crap and go to sleep. You have school tomorrow." The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes told me that it would be pointless, and maybe dangerous, to argue.

I groaned inwardly. Was this even possible? Stefan wouldn't be back for weeks and already I was stuck sleeping in his brother's room under the shoddy excuse of safety. What was I going to do about Damon? A more burning question niggled at the back of my mind.

What was Damon going to do about me?

*******************************************************

I was scared. I was alone. There were vampires chasing me. I knew I was doomed, and no one was there to help me. No one was there to hear me scream.

But then I was at my lake house. Jeremy was there laughing. It was summer and we were at one of the cookouts my family used to have.

My eyes fluttered open gently. It was still dark. Why did I have to wake up? I'd been having such a wonderful dream. It wasn't often that my nighttime terrors morphed into sweet memories of my childhood. I cursed my brain for ending my happiness too soon. But I was extremely comfortable, even awake. I was pressed protectively against the solid planes of a warm chest. A cool hand laid over my stomach. Another hand was soothingly placed on my head. It felt right.

But wait. Stefan was gone. Who was in his room? Then it dawned on me. This wasn't Stefan's room. And that wasn't a stranger. That was Damon. I was confused. What was the proper reaction? Should I shudder in horror at the intrusion or feel grateful for his caring embrace. At a loss, I simply laid there.

"You were having a nightmare…" A soft voice murmured in my ear. I wasn't used to a sleepy Damon. He seemed child-like. Pure. His face was not so tightly controlled as normal. His black locks fell haphazardly over his forehead, mussed from sleep. It was impossible to hate him at that moment. He also had a look of sincere concern for my bad dream.

"No, it was a good dream. Well, it was a nightmare, but then it was good."

He nodded knowingly. "You didn't wear your necklace to bed."

I noticed my bare neck, unadorned by Stefan's gifted vervain pendant. I never forgot to put it on! Unless…then I remembered after I'd showered I must've left it on the dresser. It was incredibly stupid of me to forget it. Damon had even noticed.

Oh. Damon must've manipulated my dream. Once again I wasn't sure how to react. On one hand, I was infuriated that he'd invaded my mind. But he had helped me out of my nightmare. He just didn't know how to do caring concerned.

"You. You went into my mind? You saw I didn't have my necklace on, just this once, and you took it upon yourself to screw with my head?"

"Shhhh… quiet, just go back to sleep." Damon was using his velvety voice in an attempt to lullaby me into calm surrender. He was so quiet, so unlike his normal self. His hand began to stroke my hair gently, leaving tingling cold paths in his wake.

"Just go back to sleep…" He softly spoke again, repeating it like a mantra. I wondered why he didn't just compel me. That would be easier for both of us. I tried to wriggle out of his grasp and separate myself from him. Like earlier, my efforts were to no avail. He remained as still and unmovable as stone, caging me in. His hand trailed donw my neck, rubbing my shoulders a bit. I was too tired to fight. And his touch felt oh-so soothing. My heart must've been jumping all over the place just looking at his tired face. His unguarded, beautiful face, framed by black hair. His eyes, framed by lashed so dark that he could've been wearing mascara. His lips. So soft, barely moving. Barely speaking out the words which fell to my ears like droplets of a waterfall. He leaned down to place his mouth on top of my nest of hair. Then he placed them again on my forehead, continuing to whisper his silent hymn. His trail of gentle kisses made its way to my chin. By the time they did, I was asleep again.

But my mind was still working in unconsciousness. I had no idea why I was letting this happen. I could make as many excuses as I wanted, but the truth was, I could be fighting much more than I was. Chalk it up to sleep deprivation.


	2. Descent into Darkness

I awoke slowly, almost afraid to regain consciousness and face the gravity of last night. I had slept in Damon's room. I had slept in Damon's bed. And not only that, he'd been right there next to me and I hadn't even fought him off. Well, not that I could've fought him, obviously, but I could've at least put up a fuss. A much bigger fuss than I did.

Laying in bed right now, I didn't feel his weight next to me or his hands in my hair. This would be the safest time for me to get up and get out of here without having to discuss anything with Damon. Still, I was reluctant. My alarm hadn't gone off yet, and I was tired. I'd be lucky to make it through school without passing out from exhaustion.

"Rise and shine, Elena!" A voice called from right in front of my face.

Instinctually my eyes blinked wide open, letting a mix of blinding light and blinding blue into my mind. Damon was literally inches from my face, his eyes sparkling, infatuatingly close to my own. I drew in a small gasp of surprise. This made Damon chuckle and stand up.

"Women never can keep their eyes off me." He said, stretching in the morning light streaming through the large window in his bedroom.

He wasn't wearing a shirt. His flat chest strongly flexed above his impeccable six pack, leading down to his low-slung pants which looked like they might fall off of his narrow hips at any moment. I almost sighed, but didn't. He was right. What woman wouldn't want to wake up to that in the morning? He must've noticed that I didn't break my gaze from his inhuman body, because he blurred quickly back next to me on the other side of the bed.

"Elena, Elena…what are we going to do with you? What would Stefan say? Here you are, in my room, waking up to me in the morning. And you don't even seem too upset about it."

Why was Damon prodding me? This is his dream, so why is he saying the very things that make me want to sprint out of the boarding house?

He continued to speak from his position lounging next to me. He was propped up on one elbow, smirking slightly. "I don't want you to go to school today."

I didn't know quite how to take his words. I did know that I was most definitely going to school today. I ignored him and got up, walking to the door.

"Elena!" Damon caught my arm in his supernatural grip, refusing to allow me to take one more step away from him.

"Damon! What are you doing? I am going to school, and this means nothing. Last night, you compelled me. You made me sleep in your room against my will, then I wake up and you kissed me! Multiple times!"

"You liked it." Damon muttered under his breath, taken aback by my sudden outburst.

"This isn't about what I like and don't like. This is about you treating me like what I am, your brother's girlfriend. I don't know what you're thinking. Just because he's gone doesn't mean I've changed my mind about which one of you I love. You can't take his place. And for the record, I'm not going to change my mind. Ever." My voice was filled with anger, but by the end of my speech, it was quivering. Damon's face had changed from amusement to rage. And now, I was beginning to regret awakening his ire. My mind told me to run, but my feet were cemented in front of the angry, impulsive vampire.

Then, I was able to break the trance, turning on my heels and quickly sprinting to the door. I slammed into something hard and cool. It felt like a brick wall, but I knew before I looked that it was Damon. I felt his long fingers gripping my shoulders so tightly that it hurt. I whimpered as I recognized the pain he was causing me. This was going to bruise.

I looked up frantically. Damon's face was no longer the picturesque painting of mere minutes before. The beginnings of dark veins pulsated around his blue eyes, which were tinged red. The most terrifying part was that he was smiling grimly, revealing two razor sharp fangs which had extended through his gums. I had never seen him this pissed at such close range. Suddenly, I felt for all the women who Damon had killed. Their last moments must've been absolutely awful.

"Damon! Damon stop it!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs.

Just like that, Damon's face was back to normal, but he was still grinning and crushing my shoulders.

"You're right, Elena. How rude of me." His voice was low and guttural. It did nothing to ease the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I found myself thrust onto the bed in less than a second. Above me, Damon licked his top lip in motion that indicated he wasn't done with me yet. I struggled wildly; my futile efforts did nothing to move him. I stood no chance against his full body weight pressing me down combined with his strength. The muscles of his shoulders and chest flexed impressively.

His face, never losing the horrific grin, morphed back into vampire mode. I screamed again. Damon pretended not to notice.

"For our first time, it's probably better that you're lying down."

What the hell? But before I could say anything, Damon had plunged down to my neck, impaling me with his fangs, drinking from the wound. I was frozen, motionless, silent. The pain had paralyzed me, along with the fear. I was going to die. I could feel the tugging of Damon on my neck, pulling my life into him. After the initial pain of the bite had faded, I was left with a mix of nausea and desperation. He had to stop. My vision became cloudy.

"Damon…" I whimpered, begging him to stop.

To my surprise, he lifted his face from my neck, blood running down his chin in a perfect line, just like in the old horror movies.

"Elena?" He mocked my weak tone. "I knew you would taste delicious, but I have to admit, I wasn't expecting it to be that good." He was talking about my blood. MY blood, like I was a dish to be rated at a five star restaurant. I moaned, feeling like I might pass out.

"Don't go, not yet princess. Stay awake," He peered into my drooping eyes, using his electric blue gaze to pull me back out of the semi-dark vortex into which I was falling. Satisfied, he bent back to my neck. I braced myself to feel again his fangs. Instead, I felt his warm tongue lapping at the wound, stopping the bleeding and soothing me. My body, acting of its own accord, began to heat up. All I could feel was the sensation of his tongue on my skin, caressing. His hand was in my hair again, tugging lightly to expose my neck further to his ministrations. The press of his body against mine was suddenly overwhelming. Everything was too much.

Damon moved upward from my neck, coming into my line of vision. He was the most beautiful killer I'd ever seen. He seemed a dark angel come from Death himself to deliver me. His cobalt eyes had grown in intensity from the feed. His lips seemed soft as ever, though they were tinged red. He briefly brought his hand to his chin, wiping roughly at the red fluid there and sucking it off of his finger. Again I found myself mesmerized and on the verge of falling out of consciousness. Then, he leaned down to my face, crushing his lips hard against my own. He hungrily thrust his tongue into my mouth, exploring voraciously. Electricity ran from his mouth to my own. I was engulfed in the feel of his perfect lips, teeth, tongue. I could taste my blood in his mouth, bitter an metallic. It gagged me. Damon didn't know or didn't care, as he continued to devour my lips. My eyelids fluttered gently, like butterflies trying to stay alive. His hands were stroking down the sides of my face and our legs were a tangle of limbs. I was so weak. I had nothing left to give. Why? Why was he doing this, killing me?

Something sweet and addictive began to flavor my mouth, erasing the flavor of my own blood. I realized Damon must've bitten his lip, allowing me to take in his smooth and powerful elixir. I could practically feel my sanity coming back to me. My mind cleared, and I regained the strength to use my limbs. Damon sat up, smiling down at me dreamily.

"Yes, that was better than I expected too."

Tears ran down my face, from pain, humiliation, and fear.

"What's wrong, sweetness? Still afraid?" Damon's voice was dripping with fake kindness. He was a monster. I saw that now. He was never my friend. Trusting him was like trusting the Devil, and now I was paying the terrible price. Where was Stefan? I sobbed slightly.

"Now, before you get any ideas, lets get rid of this," Damon said sinisterly, darting over to the bedside table and picking up my cell phone.

"No!" I screamed. But it was too late. He had thrown it at the far wall, shattering the phone as well as my hopes of getting a hold of Stefan or Bonnie or Caroline, or anyone who could help me!

Within milliseconds his face was in front of mine, eyes boring into mine. His pupils pulsated, "Stay right here until I get back." Then he disappeared out the bedroom door. I was immobilized by his compulsion, but my mind was not. He had lost his mind, that much was clear. I wished that I could go back and change the events of this morning. Why had I lost my temper? What had made me think that it was a good time to proclaim my eternal love for Stefan?

Damon was back. I inhaled, looking at the vervain necklace that he held in his hand.

"You won't be needing this anymore, either, will you?" He walked to the window and opened it, throwing my necklace outside into the woods surrounding the boarding house. With that, his frenzy of activity grinded to a halt.

He calmly walked over to me and sat down, pulling my unwilling body closer. I was no longer under his compulsion to remain still, so I tried to shove myself further away. This only made his iron grip tighter. It was pointless to struggle. Silence filled the tense air for at least a full minute. Damon looked straight ahead, apparently lost in his thoughts with me pinned to his side. I stared at him wearily, worrying about his next move. I had to focus on staying alive through his psychotic break.

He slowly turned his head towards me, smiling as if nothing had happened. "As I said, I really don't want you to go to school today."

"You are not to leave this house under any circumstances, do you understand?" Damon's voice had softened slightly from the harshness it had carried before. He had visibly calmed down but was showing no signs of rationality beyond that. Without my necklace, I found myself repeating the words he spoke to me in a monotone voice. It wasn't me talking, yet I couldn't stop my lips from moving, and I knew I couldn't leave, even if I made it to the door.

"Good girl. Now, I am going to make some breakfast." He was back to looking like an in-control picture of perfection. He still wasn't wearing his shirt, leaving his pale, flawless skin bare to me. Somehow, I didn't feel disgusted by him. He had almost killed me, and I was not repulsed by his rippling muscles and his onyx hair. However, I was mute. I think I was in shock. I felt numb and tired, like I was on the verge of either falling asleep or bursting out into uncontrollable tears. In line with the latter option, a stray tear slipped down my face. Damon noticed. He leaned in to me, causing me to shiver slightly.

"It's okay, Elena. I'm not going to bite you again….yet." His words came out like velvet, gentle and calm, washing over me with his cool breath. He licked away evidence of my crying, following the path it had taken down my face with tantalizing precision. It was almost as if he was in a trance. Suddenly, he was kissing me. This time the kiss was light, barely a brush of the lips. Its innocence brought blush to my cheeks, despite the fact that there was really nothing innocent about it.

Damon leaned back; I thought I detected a hint of a smug smile on his face. I was angry. Angry beyond all belief. I was betrayed by my own body. He was the specimen of perfection. Even after causing me pain and terror mere minutes earlier, I found myself abandoned by my mind when his lips touched mine. While I stewed, Damon disappeared, presumably to the kitchen.

I went to the bathroom. I felt the need to look in the mirror and examine the damage. Of course, when I looked, I saw my reflection, the same as always except for a tinge of fear and apprehension in my eyes. I'd forgotten that his vampire blood had healed the puncture wounds. The next thing to worry about was escape. Escape and contacting Stefan or my friends. I knew there wasn't a phone in the bathroom, but would Damon have left his in the bedroom?

I went back and checked the drawers of the dresser, the bedside table, and anywhere else that seemed a likely hiding place. I came out empty handed. Hopefully I would have more opportunities to look.

"El-eeenaa! Come down here" Damon called up the stairs in a lilting voice. I figured he knew what I was doing up here. He must've been confident that I wouldn't have any luck.

I had no clothes in this room, and there was no way I was going downstairs in just my skimpy Pjs. I hurriedly went to Stefan's door, hoping beyond hope that it would be unlocked. Of course not. I paced back to Damon's room, frantic for something to slip into. Even more frantic for a way to slip out of here!

"I'm waiting." Damon's voice hinted at impatience. I really didn't think upsetting him was a good idea at this point. My mind flashed pack to his fangs in my neck. Inevitably, this led me to think about the euphoric sensation of him feeding that had followed. Pain had become a sort of surreal tugging that had tethered me to him as well as launching me into a world of confusion.

I yanked open one of the dresser drawers that I had seen shirts in and pulled it on overtop of my cami and shorts. Because it was Damon's it was black and long enough to reach halfway down my thighs. I sighed in resignation and made my way down the stairs.

Even though the last thing I felt like doing was eating, I had to acknowledge that the smell of Damon's cooking was amazing. I followed my nose to the scene of him in the kitchen, sitting at the table expectantly. He wasn't eating, but a plate of waffles sat at my place, immediately to his right.

"Sexy shirt." Damon winked at me sarcastically. It was enough to make me almost believe that things were back to normal, that the joking, bitter, humorous Damon was sitting at the table, waiting for me to eat breakfast. Maybe Stefan was upstairs in the shower…but no.

I sat down without speaking, staring at the plate of food before me. I couldn't bring myself to take a bite.

"You should eat…I wouldn't want to have to force you.": Damon's voice was mildly threatening, but I knew that it could change to full-fledged anger in a second. I picked up my fork, reluctantly stabbing a bite. God, it was delicious. Unfortunately, after just one, I thought I might puke.

"You aren't feeling well." Damon's voice was monotone. He didn't seem concerned, more like observant. I couldn't help myself. I turned to him and glared.

"No shit. You fucking ripped my neck open and then kissed me. And that's after kidnapping me into your room and manipulating my dreams. You are freaking psycho." After I spoke I quivered, fearful of the inevitable wrath my words could ignite.

Instead, Damon's face remained indifferent.

"You've had your breakfast, I think I'll have mine." He took my wrist delicately into his hand. It took me a second to realize that he meant me. I tried to pull my wrist away, but his hand was like an iron shackle.

"No, Damon stop!" To my surprise, he did.

"Why? Elena, you are mine now. You know you love me. I see it in your eyes every time you look at me. You are attracted to this body, this face. You love that I am impulsive, strong, everything that Stefan isn't. And I'm another thing that Stefan isn't: hungry. And unlike him, I'm going to drink without ripping your head off. So you should be thankful." His eyes had regained their frightening cold blue electricity. They were so pale that they almost disappeared around his pupils in the morning sun.

"No. Damon you can't! I do not love you." He ignored me and started to lift my wrist to his mouth. I flailed, beating him with my free hand and feet as hard as I could. He didn't budge. I continued anyway, crying out of fear of the pain he was going to cause me. I was helpless. And I was stranded alone with an uncontrollable vampire.

Damon's lips touched my wrist, kissing it lightly. Then, his eyes darkened and his fangs protruded. I stilled, waiting. He looked up at me, beautiful even with the veins swimming beneath his eyes. My heart quickened. He pulled me onto his lap, holding me to him with his left arm, his right still holding my arm. I felt like a doll, a breakable, immobile doll. Then his fangs pierced my wrist and I screamed. I screamed, hoping someone would hear me. Then I was again falling into the black abyss of nothingness.

The last thing I felt were his lips on my ear. Soft words rushed from them before I passed out.

"When you wake up, we can have some real fun."


	3. Never Give In

_**Thanks for all those who've reviewed, I really appreciate it! This is my first ever Fanfic and I really hope that you guys are willing to stick around through the story. I will try to update consistently, but sometimes it will take longer than others. **_

_**This chapter is going to get a little more mature, so anyone offended should stop now; however I really hope there are some dark Damon fans out there who will enjoy this. Thanks and please keep reviewing. That keeps me motivated to keep going.**_

It was like cement was weighing down every cell of my body. I couldn't move a muscle, even though I was slowly awakening. Even my eyelids were stuck down with seemingly immovable force. My mind was slow to recall the events of the morning, but remembering filled me with fear and shame. I didn't know why I felt shame. Damon had used strength, speed, and compulsion to use me, but somehow I felt disloyal. What would Stefan think? Then again, I probably wouldn't have to worry about that for a while. He wasn't due back for weeks. Weeks. Would I even survive that long? If Damon planned to keep draining me, I most likely wouldn't. But a small voice inside of me told me that he wouldn't kill me. He loved me, in his own twisted way. He would protect me, just as he always had. That didn't explain why he was doing this, why he was kidnapping me in his own house and feeding on me in fits of rage.

But had he been feeding in rage? Sure, the first time he was angry, but the second? He'd kissed me, singed my soul with his ravaging, beautiful mouth. His bewildering good looks had me reeling from blood loss and disbelief, because even after all of this, I was still able to see Damon, my friend, underneath the angry and hurt creature he was projecting.

Because he loves you, the small voice inside of me said again. And I was afraid that I didn't hate him enough. I was afraid that somewhere while falling into darkness, I was in danger of falling into him. His passion, his danger, his strength. He was right, he was what Stefan was not.

But I love Stefan. ONLY Stefan, I told myself repeatedly. ONLY Stefan. Then I was too tired to think anymore.

"Come on, baby, time to wake up." A deep, smooth voice was calling softly to me, pleading with my uncooperative body. I wanted to open my eyes, to show him I still existed underneath the paralyzed weight of my body. I was laying on something soft. I could feel blankets around me, tucked in to keep me warm. That's when I realized how cold I was. Suddenly, my body was shivering violently. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I thought I wanted to move. Inwardly, I sighed. I wasn't okay. He had taken to much blood. How could he not know that? Damon was an experienced vampire. I briefly revisited the idea that he'd planned to kill me all along. Impossible.

"If you wake up, I can help you. Just open your eyes." Damon's voice was calm as ever. He didn't sound worried about my shaking.

I tried as hard as I could to blink. Finally, slivers of light made their way through my cracked lids. Now that my eyes were halfway open, I found it impossible to close them again. My mouth was hanging open, trying to beg Damon for help.

"That's a girl, I knew you were strong." He looked down on me. I noticed that my head was in his lap and he was sitting on the couch I was laying upon. I couldn't help but feel slightly touched at his vigilance in staying with me. The feeling was short-lived. Damon's eyes were darkening in that frightful way again. I cringed as much as I could in my incapacitated state.

"It's okay, this will make everything better."

How was him feeding on me going to make anything better!? I watched in awe as he brought his own wrist to his mouth and tore a wound in it. Then, he shoved the bloody gash into my mouth. The warm liquid trickled down my throat. I wanted to gag. I wasn't going to drink his blood! When the fluid hit my tongue, I was surprised by its sweet tang. It tasted…good. I wanted more. I began to suck in earnest, feeling better with every drop that ran down my throat. The blood was terrifically smooth and addictive. His fast healing skin hampered my progress, cutting off the supply I was desperately licking from. Within seconds the bite on his arm was completely disappeared and I found myself lapping at clean skin.

I had stopped shaking and I was able to move my arms and legs again. My breathing was much less labored.

"Told you so," Damon chuckled from above me, apparently not unnerved by my recent transformation from trembling girl on her deathbed to normal Elena. His hand lingered near my face, brushing stray hair off my forehead. "You know I love you. And even if you won't admit it to me, Hell, even if you won't admit it to yourself, I know you love me."

Damon didn't expect any response to his statement, and I didn't give him one. I laid perfectly still as he lowered his face to mine, nuzzling against me with surprising gentleness. My heart quickened slightly at his proximity, something I was sure he was getting used to.

I was waiting for the feel of his lips on mine. I told myself I didn't want him to kiss me, but here I was, face next to his, and that was all I could think about.

"Want a kiss, princess?" Damon winked at me. Could he read my mind without vervain?

"Come on, let's go to the bedroom. It's more comfortable there." Damon hoisted me into his arms easily, carrying me like a baby up the stairs and past Stefan's door to his own. He set me down near the middle of the bed. I couldn't help but notice the spots of blood from earlier. Damon did too, grinning.

"Something to remember me by." He laughed quietly. He was starting to scare me again. I'd had time to regain my composure. I couldn't let myself be confused by his messy, ruffled hair. I couldn't be persuaded by his smoldering cerulean gaze.

"Damon, get off of me!" I shrieked, pushing uselessly at his chest. He leaned down on top of me, pressing himself against me threateningly, reminding me there was nothing I could do. He always had to get what he wanted.

"Now, now, don't go back to that act. 'Damon, get off' 'Damon, stop it!' Come on Elena, it didn't work before, it's not working now." Damon's voice was nearly a growl. He looked positively predatory, studying me with the interest one would expect a mountain lion to take in a deer. Then, he leaned down and kissed my neck, sucking at an imaginary wound there, drinking nonexistent blood. I almost groaned at the sensation, but managed to stop myself.

I bit my lip, not wanting to give him any satisfaction. He merely continued his assault, moving upward toward my mouth, leaving a trail of heat along the way. His soft mouth neared my teeth, disrupting their hold on my bottom lip, leaving me exposed to his skill. He quickly replaced my teeth with his own, nipping lightly, not hard enough to draw blood. I was unable to breath.

"You are mine, Elena," He murmured deeply before slanting his mouth possessively over my own, taking control of my face with his hands. His tongue plunged deeper, swirling around my own, causing my body to arch upward. I was lost in his embrace, feeling and thinking about nothing other than his long fingers stroking down my cheeks, his muscular arms, caging me in, his hot breath on my face, sweet and sexy. It was him. His taught abdomen laid over me with severity, unwilling to move, lest I try to break his hold. I tried in vain to ignore the feelings gathering in the pit of my stomach.

He left no part of my mouth unexplored, taking interest in every part of me. His hands trailed down my neck, rubbing lightly where he had bit me earlier today. His cool skin was a contrast to my increasingly heated flesh. I found myself almost starting to kiss him back. Almost.

He found the bottom edge of the black t-shirt I had taken from his dresser, ripping it savagely off of my body, leaving only a cami and shorts covering me. Growling, he ripped off my top immediately after, baring my pale stomach to his roaming hands. He was burning me, I was quickly losing myself. I couldn't keep a coherent thought in my head to resist.

His mouth moved to my ear, licking and sucking it in a way that left me writhing beneath him. God, where had he learned this? My humor must not have been completely gone because my mind answered that he'd been alive for over one hundred years.

"Stop fighting, love." He breathed, continuing his exploration of my body.

His hands moved to my breasts, ripping through the front of my bra. I couldn't help it, I did let forth a moan of ecstasy as his cool grip massaged my nipples. He noticed and brought his mouth down on it, suckling incessantly. There was no denying it, arousal pooled in my stomach and my core. I was flying through empty space, seeing stars, unable to focus on anything else. Damon. Damon and his preternatural beauty, on me, touching me.

I barely noticed when his hands reached down to my shorts, ripping them off the same as he had my shirt. He didn't pause, removing my lacy underwear with a cruel thrash. I had no time to react before he thrust his fingers inside of me. My back arched and my throat closed, my eyes squeezing shut. Damon, mouth still closed around my nipple, bit down, drawing no more than a few drops of blood from me. He licked the wound, healing it almost instantly. The pain mingled with the heat building within me, arousing me even further. He grazed his teeth up my throat, his fingers gently forcing themselves in and out. I heard his breathing, heavy with lust. I knew I had no choice, he was not going back now.

Sure enough, he unbuttoned his pants and had them off with vampire speed. His erection pressed into the crease between my thighs. Apprehension made its way into my mind. I whimpered ever so quietly, wishing this would stop while at the same time praying it never had to. He was big, I knew at least that much. Stefan and I had had sex before, but he always waited for me to be ready and was gentle with me. Damon was much faster. He positioned himself at my entrance and drove into me with strength and speed that took my breath away. I squealed at the pain and feeling of fullness that was so suddenly washing over me. He moved in and out with inhuman speed, hurting me.

"Oww, Damon!" I screamed, bucking beneath him, eager to get him off of me. I was definitely not used to this. Not that I wasn't aroused, but the pain of his hips slamming into me was more than I expected. Damon ignored me, continuing without hesitation. I slumped down on the bed, giving up. He caught my lips with his teeth, pushing himself into my mouth again. My tongue danced with his of its own accord. Slowly but surely the discomfort was morphing into a state of heightened arousal I had never experienced. I cried out again, this time in pleasure.

His grip on my hips was so hard it would surely bruise. There was no gentleness to this, but my body betrayed me. I was responding in every way possible to his molten touch, to his hot mouth. Even his savage thrusts were turning me on. I was teetering on top of a mountain, about to fall down the impossibly high slope with unimaginable consequences.

"Don't stop, Damon, don't…please." My whines pushed him harder. I figured he must be close to his own release too. He slammed me into the headboard, crushing me in his grip. He grasped my neck, whipping it to the side, holding it there. I was too far gone to notice his fangs coming through.

"Damon!" I screamed, feeling my sex quivering as it reached the point of no return. Damon was moaning simultaneously. His beautiful voice was so close yet so far away. I was floating on a cloud of unimaginable pleasure. I craved nothing more than the earth-shattering orgasm that was definitely heading my way. Damon's head buried into my shoulder. He tore his teeth into me with abandon, causing me to scream out, eyes rolling back into my head. I was blind. Oh God. All of it was building, turning into the most intense pulling I'd ever felt, pulling me closer and closer to the edge of my own arousal. His drinking, his teeth. His vampire kiss, pushing me full throttle over the cliff.

I vibrated underneath of him, shouting my climax, unable to control my body for one more second. My mind was splattered on the headboard behind us, completely forgone by the physical perfection on top of me. He yelled, and I felt his hot sex inside of me, coating the walls of me. We were connected everywhere. His face had yet to lift from my shoulder, and I couldn't stop coming, shaking, breaking into a million tiny pieces beneath him. An eternity later, he slowed himself, finally coming to rest, pulling out of me. I was still too shattered to speak, to move.

He slumped next to me, breathing hard, eyes wide open, staring at me. His oceanic irises had me swimming. He had blood on his face, but it was somehow not horrific. It was beautiful, just like every other part of him. He pulled me to him, pressing me against his still warm chest. I was so tired from the best and worst moment of my life that I fell asleep. He had his head nuzzled in my hair. I could tell that he was awake while I drifted off. I wondered what it was he wanted. I couldn't care. I couldn't break the scene.

"I love you." His chin was still on top of my head. The outline of his muscled stomach pressed into my lower back, curling around me, making me feel secure.

*********************

When I came back to from my nap, my senses were dull. But my mind was actually working half-way correctly again.

What in God's name had just happened? What had we done? What had I done?


	4. The Ecstasy and the Agony

I cautiously turned my head to the side, peeking over my shoulder. I could feel Damon's hands on my waist, but I couldn't tell whether or not he was awake yet. Luckily, his face was blank, eyes closed. I paused, examining his worriless expression. He looked so…blissful. It was so much different from the customary mask of arrogance and bitterness that he wore. For a split second I felt the overwhelming urge to run my hands through his mussed onyx locks, brushing them from his smooth forehead like one would a child. I shook the thought. Now was my chance. Who knows if I'd ever have another.

I silently scooted away from him, easing his hands from me. It was difficult not to take off sprinting, but with his vampiric speed, stealth was my only option. I softly placed my feet on the cold hardwood floor of his bedroom, taking time to test it for creaks before standing up with my full weight on it. I stole on last glance at him, telling myself I was checking to make sure he hadn't noticed my absence from beneath the sheets. Amazingly, he laid completely still, undisturbed. My breathing was shaky and shallow. I was terrified that one wrong step, one wrong creak, bang, or sigh, would end my fateful attempt at escape. Therefore, I tiptoed with infuriating slowness toward the door, praying that I could make it through the threshold free.

Minutes later, I slid through the half-open oak door that led to the rest of the Salvatore house. Now, in the upstairs hallway, I felt safe enough to pick up the pace. Damon had compelled me not to leave the mansion and I knew better than to think I would be able to break that spell. Instead, I tried to think of any places I had seen a telephone. The first location that came to mind was the expansive den in the center of the home. I knew a landline was connected on the table next to the couch. I pranced as quietly as possible down the stairs, paranoid about every thump I made on the carpeted runner. He wasn't following me! Every time I looked back I expected to see his dark shadow, tense with rage. Instead, emptiness greeted me with surprising comfort. Not too long ago the vacant house had seemed creepy. Now the silent bareness was my lifeline.

My heart leapt into my chest at the sight of the silver phone sitting in the den. As I took my final steps toward salvation, I wondered for the first time who I should call. Stefan was my first choice, but by the time he got here to rescue me, Damon could have me hidden away somewhere else without a trace. I needed immediate aid. My heart pounded loudly, begging me to hurry up and decide. Without thinking, I called the first number on speed dial. Alaric.

The dial tone gave way to the most melodious ringing I'd ever heard. Once. No answer. Come one Alaric, please! Twice. Still nothing. My hands were shaking with nervousness. I never heard the third ring. A gruff voice answered.

"Hello, Damon?" It sounded like he'd been sleeping, and he wasn't exactly thrilled at being woken up by his vampire buddy.

My voice tumbled out in a rush, or at least it started to. "Alaric, it's Elena, you need to come over NOW! Damon…" I couldn't finish my plea. A cool white hand had grabbed the phone, crushing my grip until I was forced to let go. I cried out in terrible shock. I heard the disembodied voice of Alaric, filled with concern.

"Elena? Elena? What happened?"

I looked up into the coldest set of blue eyes I'd ever seen. Holding the phone, Damon made sure I saw his clenched jaw and balled fists. Then, he smoothly put the phone next to his ear, transforming from rage into cool indifference.

"Alaric, sorry, Elena was a bit upset. But she was right. You should come. I will tell you when you get here." His voice was a silky purr, menacing to me, probably reassuring and honest to Alaric.

"Around two, then?" Damon finalized with his best friend and vampire hunter. Then, he hung up. I was crumpled on the floor, staring in horror at his conversation. Tears of frustration and terror leaked down my cheeks. Damon turned all his attention to me. I had never seen him like this. I could almost see the aura of fury surrounding him. He was obviously struggling not to kill me, his eyes flickering back and forth between human and vamped out.

"Elena. You better fucking hide, because I'm going to kill you." He ground out without visibly opening his mouth. I was frozen, taking in his words with a drooping jaw and eyes agape. Then, he disappeared. This brought me back into myself. I scrambled up, unsure of where he'd gone. All I knew was that I had reason to fear for my life, and a very limited time to find a hiding place good enough to avoid a pissed-off one-hundred-something year old vampire in his own house. The odds were inevitably poor, but I had to try.

Strangely enough, despite practically living here for almost a year, I was unfamiliar with the layout of the boarding house. I really only knew the basics: Stefan's room, kitchen, den, Damon's room. There was a door at the far end of the den which I'd never been inside before. Without thinking, I ran toward it, yanking open the solid door and slamming it shut behind me. My tears had grown even more persistent and I was breathing with a wheeze, taken over by panic. I had to clear my head! Think, Elena, where would he not look? Not hear? Not smell. The unbearable answer to those questions was nowhere. However, I saw that I had entered into some sort of study or office. There were two closed doors. The first one I tried was a closet. Too obvious. He would check the closets. The second revealed yet another mystery room. This one had shelves upon shelves of books and movies. A brief moment of curiosity and awe penetrated my attempt at hiding. I swept it away, desperately searching for a nook or cranny to wedge myself into.

I had no idea where Damon was or how long I had. This knowledge only made it harder to focus. The look in his eyes, I gulped. Well, it had not been promising. I only hoped that Alaric's impending visit would offer me some way out. Surely he would want to see me. Then I could tell him what was going on. I hoped.

There was a window seat large enough to fit into, if the top of it revealed a hidden storage unit. My fingers grasped the ledge with tentative apprehension. To my utter relief, the top lifted away, leaving an empty nook for me to cram myself into. I bent my knees to my chest, burrowing my face to my arms. I lowered the top back down, trembling. I had to stop crying and calm my breathing. The darkness I was plunged into was thick as smoke, choking me. I had never been fond of small spaces, and now the combined threat of Damon along with the fact that I was scrunched in a tiny dark box, was a veritable hell.

I don't know how long I waited. Sometimes I thought I heard footsteps. But it was impossible to tell whether they were real or a figment of my imagination. This waiting left me with time to think, ironically.

Firstly, there was the issue-a recurring one, I might add-of whether Damon could really kill me. Well, of course he could, but would he? He claimed to love me, and I sort of believed him. He obviously wanted me an awful lot to lock me inside his house and force me into having sex with him, feeding off of me several times. Oh…the sex. My heart split in two at the memory. Because there was no doubt I had enjoyed it. But did that mean it wasn't rape? The immense pain had resulted in immense pleasure, but I hadn't wanted it. Or had I? Flashes of images of Damon's body flitted through my mind, leaving me aching. I remembered the way he'd made me feel, like I was on fire. It was something entirely new, unexplored, and scary.

I supposed I'd only have to worry about it if I survived the present ordeal.

There still didn't seem to be any approaching footsteps. My breathing was becoming quieter, more relaxed. Maybe I'd won this round. But Alaric was coming at two, and how would Damon explain my absence?

An ominous groan sounded from above me. For a second I thought it was my own cry of despair, but logic told me that it was not a human noise. I stared blindly in horror at the top of the window-seat. It had been the creak of wood under pressure. Someone was here, and I was pretty sure it wasn't Alaric. I tried beyond hope to remain silent. Of course, Damon must know I'm in here, but I couldn't bring myself to give away my position, just in case.

Three distinct knocks echoed around me. The sound of an impatient fist banging above me.

"Knock, knock, anyone home?" A mocking voice inquired from just outside my hideout. Oh shit. I was barraged by flashbacks of his furious face. I'd lost this game.

"When I ask a question, I expect an answer, Elena." Damon scolded, still using the fake-cheery voice. Why was he drawing this out? Why didn't he just open the lid and drag me out already? My mind frantically whirled in circles.

As if answering my thoughts, Damon kicked the top of the window seat with such force that it flew off the hinges. I must've been a pathetic sight, huddled inside, eyes rendered useless by the darkness.

"Now, there she is." Damon murmured almost to himself before bending down and grasping my arms in a vice, yanking me upright with no effort at all. He grabbed my chin, tugging my face to look directly into his own. He appeared completely emotionless. Not angry, not upset. Just blank. This cold detachedness was almost as bad. Almost. I was speechless, once again hypnotized.

"I promise, I will deal with you later. For now, it's almost two o'clock, and you are still in pajamas. You need to go upstairs, get dressed, brush your hair, and think of how you are going to tell Ric how perfectly okay everything is. The only thing that happened this morning was me, draining a sorority girl. You saw it and freaked out. I didn't kill her, though. She's back in her dorm with no memory, replenishing her blood supply." Damon hissed the proposed lie.

Then, the doorbell rang.

Damon picked me up swiftly, rocketing upstairs to his room and dumping me unceremoniously on the floor. I saw that an outfit was laid out on the bed. Damon was back downstairs in a blink, but not without giving me a threatening glare first.

"If you try anything else, you will be very sorry." Something told me I was going to be very sorry regardless.

If I was going to have any chance at all of fooling Ric, I was going to have to stop blushing and quivering like a maniac. Wait, fooling Ric? I'd gone to all the trouble to get him here, and now what? I was just going to let him go along with Damon's story? Right now, under my feet was the key to escaping Damon's clutches, if only temporarily. As I yanked a top over my tangled nest of hair, I came to the conclusion that I had to at least try. Whatever the consequences were, they would evaporate if I could just make it out.

I winced, tugging a hairbrush through my unstraightened locks. I looked in the mirror. I was a mess. I didn't have any makeup left on my face except for mascara and eyeliner smears. Even after being brushed, my hair was nowhere near its usual luster and smoothness. And, truth be told, I was going to be hard-pressed to maintain enough self-control not to run downstairs screaming Alaric's name, begging for help. But that wouldn't get me anywhere.

I gradually stepped closer to the stairs, hearing muffled voices coming from the foyer. I couldn't make out what they were saying. Something about feeding habits. Then, I swore I caught a concerned voice asking where I was. The reply, there was no mistaking the velvety smooth purr, came from Damon.

"I'll go grab her."

I felt naked without my vervain. Surely Damon would easily compel me to keep quiet if I showed even a hint of dissension. Too soon I saw the dark vampire walking at human speed up the stairs toward where I stood.

"Come on, Elena, let's go show our guest that you are okay. He seemed worried by the tone of your phone call." Damon spat facetiously. He took my hand in his own. The contact sent electricity down my spine. For some reason I was ashamed.

He looked deeply into my eyes. I momentarily feared that he was going to compel me. Instead, he tangled on hand in my hair, yanking my head back into a deep, probing kiss. That kiss, it couldn't have been more than ten seconds, jumbled my thoughts so badly that when we went to walk down the stairs, I could barely make it without tripping, not to mention form a cohesive plan for informing Alaric of my plight.

"I do tend to have that effect on people," Damon laughed, hand on the small of my back to keep me upright.

Downstairs, Alaric stood, scrutinizing me. He was a tall man with sandy hair. Despite his drinking habits, he was well formed and attractive. Lately, he'd been a bit of a mess because of losing Jenna along with his purpose in life. He and Damon were best friends, ironically. A vampire hunter and a vampire who wasn't exactly the most kind or respectful when it came to human life. I had the sneaking suspicion that the backbone behind their partnership was the fact the both of them were bitter and lost. Well ,that and bourbon.

"Elena!" Alaric breathed, apparently overjoyed to see me breathing and uninjured. The look in his eyes made me feel guilty for putting him through so much worry.

"Safe and sound, as promised." Damon reassured him, slapping his friend on the shoulder.

"I know, I believed you…I just had to see for myself. The way you sounded on the phone this morning, Elena…" He was looking at me for some sort of explanation. This was the do or die moment.

"I…I, um" The choice between fact and fiction hitched my sentence. I nervously looked to Damon. His eyes were burning a hole in my forehead.

"Actually, Ric, I'm fine now, I was just a little worked up, that's all."

"Oh, well, if you need anything, you know where to call."

"Hey, wait, do you think you could drive me home? I hate to bug you but all my clothes are there and my makeup and my straightening iron and…you get the picture." I sucked in one final breath, not daring to look at Damon now. His murderous glare might ruin my resolve. Please, Alaric, please! I begged internally.

"Of course! No problem, it's on the way." Alaric grinned, eager for some company. Relief ran through my veins, mixed with equal parts dread. Because I knew Damon would just follow me. And then I was in serious trouble. But I really did need clothes and such! And this afforded me time to talk some sense into Damon. Maybe I could persuade him to think rationally. The idea of it surprisingly sent a small arrow through my heart. Damon thinking rationally meant an end to his lust, passion, and craving for me. I shook my head. Stockholm syndrome already? I was stronger than this.

I stopped at the door, unable to step outside. Shit, I'd forgotten Damon's compulsion! Ric was going to know something was wrong. Damon quickly yanked my arm backward and caught my defiant eyes.

"Go ahead, Elena." I inwardly cringed, knowing what awaited me when I arrived at my house, assuming he would follow me.

I walked out the door, following Alaric. Damon stood at the door frame, visibly tense and unhappy. I still didn't have the guts to really look him in the face. I kept my head down and tried to keep from sprinting to Ric's car in glee. Freedom, if only short-lived, was freedom nonetheless.

The drive was filled with boring small talk. It was a little weird that Ric was an ally and history teacher. He was in on all of the vampire secrets and conflicts, but I had to see him at school everyday and act like everything was normal. Now, here I was, driving home with him. I should tell him to take me somewhere else, somewhere safe. I should tell him all that's happened in the past two days with Damon. Instead I chatter about schoolwork and spring break plans. Something in me was holding out.

"Well, here's your stop, Elena. Ya need anything else?" Ric, with no idea still that anything was wrong, casually gestured toward my two-story house. It felt like eons since I'd seen it last.

"No, Alaric, I'm fine thanks." He didn't look convinced. I think he was suspicious that he was out of the loop. If only he knew how right his instincts were. But it wouldn't be right of me to drag him into this, especially when I was so unsure where I stood on it myself.

And then I stood alone on the driveway, half fearing half hoping that a lovely dark angel would stalk out of the bushes, glowering dangerously. Something was REALLY wrong with me! Had Damon compelled me? He'd basically raped me, bit me, and threatened me. These sobering thoughts sent me trotting to the front door, eager to enter my former residence.

The hallways were plain compared to the Salvatore's luxury. Also, it seemed tiny! Every corner taunted me, promising to be hiding an upset vampire half-concealed in shadow. To my imminent surprise, I made it to my room and Damon wasn't there either! Of course, it was foolish to think for even a second that he'd abandoned his mission. If anything this was a mere timeout-a rest break-in his grand scheme, whatever it was.

You know what it is, my subconscious whispered. To make me love him. He had a funny way of doing it.

Robotically I pulled a duffel bag from under my bed, stuffing every toiletry and piece of clothing I could get my hands on into it. While I packed, my mind was wandering. Was I packing for an escape or for a return? I didn't get to decide the answer for myself.

"Silly, stupid little Elena. What are you packing for, little girl? Running away from the big. Bad. Wolf." His words burnt through the air like acid, turning me to stone facing him as he climbed nonchalantly through my window. With each word he took a step closer to me, until he was practically nuzzling his cheek against mine. In that moment, I wished in vain that I'd thought of a better plan. That is, any plan at all.

"It's good that you packed a bag." Damon smiled sardonically down at me. "Now you will have your own clothes when we go back to the house. As in now."

I steeled myself to protest, but the air was knocked from my chest when he brutally heaved me over his shoulder like a sack of burdensome potatoes. We were moving so quickly that my eyes threatened to roll back in my head, the world passing like a blur. Maybe a minute later we were standing in Damon's room instead of the one at my house, in the same position.

Finally able to catch my breath, rage surged through me. "What the Hell! What are you doing!? Stop this! I swear to God, I will call Stefan." I rushed forward, trying to shove Damon's solid chest across the room. He didn't budge.

"No, actually you won't. I'm going to make sure of that." Damon's voice was reminiscent of the growls he'd uttered this morning after I had called Alaric. It seemed like so long ago. He caught my wrists in one hand, yanking them above my head and incapacitating me.

"You see, when you piss me off, you don't get to run away OR yell at me. You did both. And I haven't even started to punish you yet. Believe me, when we're done, you are not going to want to even think about touching a phone ever again."

Something lurched in my throat. He was dead serious and deadly mad. Not a good combination. I swung from bold to cowering in record time.

"That's more like it." Damon smirked at my reaction, taking time to relish it before whisking me to the bed, pinning me down.

"DAMON! Get off of me! I'm serious, you cannot keep doing this!" I struggled pointlessly. I was scared of what he was going to do to me as well as furious at him for even threatening to hurt me.

"But we haven't even started yet." Damon pouted, his perfect lips inches above mine. Hypnotizing. His flawless skin hovered like a mirage, engulfing every inch of my vision. But his most striking features were those electric blue eyes, which sent shivers to my stomach just to look at. They were so cold yet simultaneously burning hot, scalding me with their smoldering intensity. Every bit of my body was screaming danger. But those eyes…I couldn't look away.

A strong, elegant hand snaked around my throat, exerting light pressure. It wasn't painful, but it was certainly noticeable. Damon's lips descended, ravaging my mouth. His sweet tongue probed my mouth, swirling dominantly, owning me. His past words echoed in my mind. ("you are mine").

I felt his fangs biting my lips, sucking eagerly at the blood drawn. It tried to escape him but the hand around my neck held my head in place, preventing it from moving. I wanted to scream, but instead it came out as a moan. Damon came up for an unnecessary breath, blood coating his teeth and lips. I wanted to yank him back down, to continue the lust which was growing in my core. Somehow, seeing my blood on his mouth was contributing to my arousal instead of distracting from it.

Damon was ever too happy to oblige the want in my eyes. He caught my bottom lip in his sharp canines, puncturing two new wounds in it. Tears streamed out of my eyes. It hurt unbearably this time. I squirmed, still trying to shove him off. My body was screaming conflict, leaving me a confused mess under Damon's insistent hunger. I could tell he wasn't taking much blood. Jesus, that probably meant he wanted to drag this out as long as possible.

Damon stopped again, looking at me with his silvery, bloodshot, darkened countenance. "You wanted to escape me. That's very bad." In this state, his disappointment and, possibly, hurt, were even more monstrously consuming.

He removed his hand from my throat only to clamp it around my chin, forcing my face up to his with frightening roughness. "You were going to leave! You fucking called Alaric, of all people!"

Then he was ripping at my shirt, exposing my bare, milky skin to his desperate grasps. I wasn't wearing a bra due to my hurried dressing earlier. Instead of tenderly suckling my breasts he slapped them. Hard. I cried out at the stinging blows, wondering if he was using a touch of his vampiric strength. The tears ran thicker over my cheeks, yet somehow I was still turned on by the perfect form above me. The whole scene was erotic. I was ashamed.

"What's next, Elena? Will you stake me in my sleep? Does none of this mean anything to you?" He stroked downward toward my sex, unbuttoning my pants swiftly

Yes. Yes! I thought to myself. Was I answering his questions or his hands?

He licked down my throat to my sternum with tantalizing slowness, sending tremors of need through my body.

"Or am I just a monster to you?" He ground, vamping out and clamping down on my shoulder with startling voracity. This time I could definitely feel him pulling dregs of blood into his mouth, not infusing it with pleasure. I screamed, but he didn't stop until he was ready, showing me again how little an effect I had on him. Though really, it was my effect on him that was the cause of all of this in the first place.

He reached again for my now dripping slit, literally tearing the fabric of my jeans and panties from my hips. He seemed so close to losing control, and every part of me was throbbing with the pain of blood loss and his rough treatment.

"Damon, please. Please, stop this." I begged quietly, breathing the words.

"What? What is it you fucking want? Because I can smell your arousal from a mile away. Every time you look at me. Even now. So I'm guessing what you really mean is 'please, keep going, Damon'. And that tells me maybe I'm not being quite punishing enough?"

Contrary to his last statement, Damon rubbed his fingers between my thighs, eliciting moaning from me. He was right. I did want for him to keep going. He bent over me, shoving his tongue over my folds, licking a taste. He groaned almost imperceptibly then buried his teeth into my thigh.

"Aaaaahhhhh! Damon! Stop! Please!" The edge between pleasure and pain was becoming blurry, but the sensitivity of my flesh made his gnawing unbearable. I was thrashing, survival instinct kicking in.

"Fuck you, Damon, get off! You're hurting me!" My shouts turned to screams when he ignored me yet again. I could still feel the raw sting of the bite on my shoulder, combing with his current feeding spot to send me into a frenzy of horror. Finally, he pulled out, to my relief. I shivered uncontrollably, overtaken by sensation.

"Actually, I think you're probably right. We should fuck soon, before you pass out."

He licked at my sex, bringing me back to a state of heightened need, turning fear and harm into lovely burning heat in my core. Sensing I was ready, he reached down to position himself at my entrance, shoving his impressive member into me in one cruel thrust. I arched up to meet him.

His fingers dug into my hips, bruising me instantly. The force of his thrusts was too much to bear. I writhed in ecstasy and agony beneath his talented hands. Slowly, a predictable ache built between my legs, causing the walls of my vagina to spasm in time to Damon's fucking. Perhaps sensing how close I was to orgasm, Damon picked up the pace, licking his way back into my mouth.

"Tell me you aren't going to leave." He breathed against my face, piercing me with his intensely protective cobalt glare.

"I won't leave." I murmured in response, assenting in the throes of passion.

Damon's cock drove into me several more times before I flew apart, twitching and crying my pleasure. He came soon after me, burying his seed deep within me, licking at my shoulder, lapping any remaining blood away from the wound there, savoring me to further his climax. I couldn't even see straight when he stood up beside the bed. I just kept laying in a daze.

"I love you, Elena. Go to sleep." He walked out of the room. I wanted to beg him to stay, to lay next to me like he had the first night he kidnapped me to his room, his strong arms wrapped around me. I wanted to tell him I loved him back, even if it was just the rush of endorphins talking. Which I was sure it was. Instead, I didn't move. I just watched his back as he walked away, leaving me alone, eyes drooping.

Goodnight, my beautiful, evil, dark vampire. And for the first night since Damon had "kidnapped" me, I didn't stay up plotting escape.


	5. whiplash

_**Thank you all those who have been following the progress of this story! It means a lot to me, especially those who take the time to review. The more reviews I get, the more I want to write and the faster I will update, pinky-swear! So please take just a few seconds to lend me some feedback. If you have any ideas as to where you want the story to go or what you'd like to see more/less of, I am very open to suggestions. Thanks**_

When I woke up, there was nothing but cold emptiness surrounding me. I'd half expected-no, entirely expected-that Damon would show up sometime in the night and lay with me, holding me in his strong, pale arms as he'd done before. I didn't want to think I was disappointed, but I was. It didn't mean I loved him, it only meant I was lonely. Probably missing Stefan, rationalized.

Oh God. Stefan. With all the chaos, fear, and shameful sex over the past few days, I'd barely spared a thought for my real boyfriend. Immediately I was struck with a sense of guilt. Was Damon really winning his battle so soon? Had he already consumed so much of me that I was drifting toward him and further from the vampire who actually cared for me, respected me, and didn't kill people for fun? The increasingly prevalent and somewhat annoying voice in my head corrected that thought. Stefan was a ripper. Even though he'd been under Klaus's compulsion, he was a ripper by nature. Sure, he could suppress it…some of the time. Obviously he was known for his so-called "blood benders", but with me in his life, Stefan could change. He could stay good, or at least that's what he told me. What I told myself.

Deep in my reverie, I didn't notice a figure dressed in all black standing outside the door frame staring at me coolly, as if hunting. It wasn't until he spoke that I snapped out of it.

"You need to get showered, get dressed, and get yourself fit to go out." His tone was harsh and unforgiving. I was taken aback, flooded with discomfort to replace any warm glow remaining from last night. He was mad.

It dawned on me then that I was still in punishment for calling Ric. Damon had lived for one-hundred-fifty years and he was definitely not done with this grudge. The body language and scowl clued me in. I thought back to waking up alone, and then back further to him walking out on me after we'd-I couldn't bring myself to say the words, even in my head. Yes, he was certainly still upset with me, and there was little I could do to change that except obey him and wait it out. The problem was, I wasn't very patient or very submissive.

"Okay, jeez, what for?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, agitated.

His glower grew even darker and more menacing. Oh shit.  
"Did you mother ever teach you how to speak to adults respectfully?" He hissed the words from between clenched white teeth. He was still standing outside the room, looking for all the world like the perfect bad boy. His black sweater clung to his muscled chest, its deep neckline exposing just a bit of the pale, smooth skin below his collarbone. The dark jeans hung low on his hips, though they still fit like a glove, teasing as to what was underneath.

Ugghh. I needed to get him out of my head.

Amazingly, instead of fearful I felt emboldened by Damon's sarcastic question. "Sorry if a few of my mother's lessons were cut a bit short, she died, in case you forgot!" My voice was scathing with emotion that converted entirely to anger. "But she did teach me one thing for sure: treat others the way you want to be treated!" As I was yelling, we'd both gravitated toward one another, meeting in the middle of the bedroom. He seemed to tower over me, ready to explode. What on earth did he think gave him the right to talk to me like this?

Then the worst idea ever to popped into my mind. And, in my blind rage, I acted on it. My hand lifted from my side and rose, swinging towards Damon's face to slap him. Even if it had hit, it likely would've had no effect. But it was never put to a test. Damon's reflexes caught my palm in midair, wrenching it down roughly. And then my head was suddenly reeling away from him, taking the rest of my body with it. A strong pain radiated from the left side of my face.

Damon was still glaring, but something in his face was different. Maybe his jaw was a little slacker. I had fallen toward the bed, catching myself on its edge, remaining upright despite the dizzying sensation and stars in my vision. I couldn't look up to retaliate. Shame and sadness washed over me, forcing my vision to blur just as much from threatening tears as from Damon's backhand. He'd hit me. And in that moment it didn't matter that I'd tried to hit him first, or that I should've expected as much. All I could think was, he hit me.

"I said get dressed and ready to go. I highly recommend you do it before I get back up here." Damon stalked out of the door, escaping my helpless and confused expression. I was in shock. My cheeks were burning with residual anger and now embarrassment. I was amazed that I'd let myself get comfortable here, with such a monster. The pain in my face made me wince, but not nearly as much as did the realization that Damon was playing with me, and I had-however briefly-fallen for it. There was a big difference between a good fuck and love. And when I looked in the mirror, met with the beginnings of a bruise on the left side of my face, I promised myself that I would never blur the line again. Damon could not be trusted. He could not love. He was only going to hurt me, and I wasn't sure if there was any way for me to stop him or escape.

I went to the dresser, hoping to find something of my own to put on. I couldn't stand the prospect of donning any more of his clothes. To my surprise and satisfaction there were several tops in the top drawer. I checked the other drawers and was able to come up with a decent outfit of a pink, fitted T-shirt and dark straight jeans. My jeans were a bit looser than normal, and I quickly recalled that I'd only eaten once since being "held captive." As if on cue, my stomach growled.

I didn't know if Damon expected me to stay in the bedroom or meet him downstairs, but I didn't want to see him again any sooner than necessary so I chose the former option after brushing my hair and teeth and applying some sparse makeup. Most of my stuff was still at home, so there was no way for me to even begin to camouflage Damon's mark on me. In my rush, a few tears had spilled down my cheeks, but not enough to quench my desire to fall back and bawl my eyes out. Where was Stefan?

I knew the answer. He wouldn't be back for weeks, yet. God. Would I even be alive when he got back?

"Elena?" Damon's voice was much calmer when he reentered and found me sitting tensely on the edge of the bed. My eyes were cast toward the floor. I was afraid that if I dared to look at him my barely contained emotions would burst through the surface of my carefully constructed mask.

He walked over at human speed for a change and plopped down next to me. His shoulder was against my own but he made no move to touch or invade me. I could sense the sheer strength, both physical and psychological, coming off of him in waves. I wondered for the millionth time whether humans had some sort of sixth sense that allowed them to detect the supernatural. Even those who didn't believe in vampires or witches or werewolves seemed to scatter away from them in public. It was like a subconscious signal, a wavelength or frequency broadcasting: Danger. Stay away. I am not as I seem.

"Elena, look at me." his voice was quieter than normal. Guilty? I forced myself to shove away that indulgent thought. Damon Salvatore, guilty? I doubt it.

I lifted my face minutely, trying to keep my blank stare. The task was difficult considering I was faced with the hypnotic cerulean pools that were Damon's irises. They penetrated into my very soul, as always, making my breath hitch in my throat. I could almost detect a sad quality in them.

"Are you okay?" Of course, I knew what he was referring to. I nodded numbly, insistent that he should not know the truth. He should not know my weakness.

"You have a bruise on your face…I didn't mean to hit you that hard." His admission was like a bucket of ice water. It was probably the closest to an apology Damon would ever get. Contrition made him seem boyish, more fragile. The softness of his features was a stark contrast to the usual hard mockery that coated his countenance. But it was too late to change the past. If he could hold a grudge, so could I. He would not pull me under again.

"Elena," He repeated, searching for me underneath my newfound protective blanket of indifference. "I'm going to give you some blood to heal that…" He raised his hand to my cheek, grazing his cool fingers over it so lightly that it could've been a breeze. I resisted the urge to lean my head into his palm, seeking comfort.

"No. I don't want that." I stated simply, in a monotone. I really didn't want his blood. Part of it may've been that I wanted the evidence of his evil to remind myself why I had to stay strong against his manipulations. Maybe I wanted it to remind him that he'd hurt me, and that it couldn't simply be erased with a drought of vampire blood. Then again, perhaps it was because I was afraid that the brilliant feeling his blood gave me would reignite the flame he kindled inside of me, that the sweet richness of him running through my veins would dissolve my resolve.

"I'm sorry, but you have to." Damon was still using a gentle tone, but I could tell he wasn't going to let me have my way, no matter how "sorry" he was. I waited for his face to change and for his slashed wrist to be forced into my mouth. To my surprise, nothing happened.

Damon was looking at my face, reading me. I blinked and reconstructed my walls. He sighed. Then, he leaned towards me, one hand on my neck, holding my head in place. His soft lips collided with mine, forcing my lips apart to accept his kiss. My body, acting of its own accord, obliged his entry. I couldn't remember myself when he was this close…his hard chest touching me, his perfect hand embracing my sensitive jugular. The heat of his mouth distracted me, and before I knew it, the thick flavor of his blood was mingling with his tongue in my mouth. He'd bitten his bottom lip, drawing his healing blood out to give to me. Once the addictive honey bouquet entered my mouth, I couldn't help but swallow. His wound healed too quickly. But the kiss did not break. He was urging me to return it, to give in.

I could feel the tingling of my face healing. The blood coursed like brilliant adrenaline through my body, erasing all my aches and pains and replacing them with strength. As I'd feared, the effects fiercely made me want to wrap my arms around Damon's perfect body and let him fuck me senseless. Thankfully, before any of these thoughts were acted upon, Damon pulled away slowly, his eyes boring into mine again.

"Do you feel any better?" He couldn't disguise the tender hope in his voice.

I nodded again. It was not what he wanted, but he seemed to accept my distant behavior. Maybe he really did feel guilt.

"I thought we might go out of town today. You know, get out of here for a bit. Maybe get you some clothes?"

I figured the reason we couldn't just go to the mall here was the risk that we'd run into someone I knew. I admired his resourcefulness in keeping me imprisoned. His offer was enticing…I did want to get out of here, but not with him! However, given the choice between hours in the boarding house and hours in a shopping center miles away, I couldn't possibly stay here.

Damon grinned when my face betrayed my thoughts.

"Good, I'll make you something to eat first though. You look like you're losing weight." He frowned slightly, eying my waist. Finally, he walked through the door, leaving me alone with myself, free of his lethal compulsion. Not the freaky-eye-thing type of compulsion, but the I'm-so-hot-I-make-you-lose-your-mind type. I had to get my act together. Why was it this hard to hate him?

I hadn't moved an inch, that is, until the smell of cooking food drew me downstairs like a fish on a line. All of my internal pondering and stress were put aside momentarily as the more basic need to eat took over all of my mental functioning. God. I really was starving, wasn't I?

I tiptoed to the kitchen, peeking in in what I hoped was a discreet way. Whether or not he'd heard me coming down-he probably had-he didn't turn to look at me spying on him. His back was to me; he was apparently preoccupied with something over the stove. I took the moment to observe him untainted by anger or lust. Of course, this inevitably led to me gaping at the gentle slope of his strong shoulders, the tapered waist that gave way to perfect hips…hips which not too long ago had been slamming into me with animalistic voracity. His raven hair flopped at the nape of his slender neck, messy and unkempt, but somehow sexier because of it.

"You know I could hear you from a mile away, Elena. Even without your heavy footsteps, the thumping of your heart isn't exactly difficult to detect." Damon spoke dryly, not turning to look at me. I was unused to his light, humorous side. I was amazed that days ago it was the most common side I got to see. So much had changed since then.

"And you know, the blood healed your bites…that was supposed to be a reminder." He finally turned to look at me, flashing his sapphire eyes up through his dark lashes and morphing his face into the visage of a scolding schoolteacher. He was still dripping with sarcastic mockery, but I sensed a certain seriousness behind his words. A reminder that I was his. That I couldn't run away, or call for help. Yes, I knew what he meant despite his attempts at a light tone.

"I don't want you to try to escape again. We are going out today. Don't think for a second that means I'm not watching you. You won't even have a chance. Remember _THAT_." He emphasized, locking my face into alignment with his using two gentle hands on either side of my face.

"I think I liked funny Damon better." I pouted, brushing past him to the stove. My stomach literally felt like it was imploding.

"Aww…that's too bad. He will be back really, soon, I promise, _princess_." The sinister whisper was literally inches from my ear. Turning my back on a full-fledged predator had obviously not been the most prudent course of action. Goosebumps rose over my arms, his sudden proximity jolted my body with apprehension.

I froze, afraid to take another step away from what I presumed to be the dangerous threat inches off of my shoulder. I felt lithe, cool fingers brushing my hair to the side, off of my neck. I was terrified. I knew from experience that him lingering near my neck usually meant he was going to bite me. Oh, shit. He wanted his mark back on my neck…his reminder.

The second I realized this I went to shove away from him, but he was prepared. His strong forearm looped around my waist like an iron vice, making it impossible for me to move. My arms were similarly caught under his hold.

"Damon, what the…" I began to shout in terror, but he cut me off.

"Shhh…quiet little girl. This will be so much more enjoyable when you stop struggling. You remember how good it feels when we're having sex and I bite you. I can make it like that all the time, but only if you're good. And calling Alaric to come rescue you from the big bad wolf was not proper behavior." His fingers were massaging the vein of my neck lightly, drawing me out. I was quivering slightly.

"No. Damon, please! I'm sorry, I already told you, I won't do it again!" I squealed when I felt his hot breath quickening.

"Oh, I know…but I can't always believe you, can I?" He said in a sickeningly sweet voice, laughing sardonically. His lips met the spot where my neck and shoulder met. I tensed.

He was kissing and sucking my skin tantalizingly.

"Now," He breathed into my skin. "Hopefully the next time I do this, the situation will be a bit more…_enjoyable_ for us both."

With that, he pierced my flesh with his fangs, harshly driving them deep under my skin. I whimpered in pain and misery. He drew my blood out slowly, prolonging the tugging feeling in my chest. Slowly, the tingling spread all the way out to my limbs and extremities. How much blood was he taking? It was impossible to tell. But somehow I trusted that he knew when to stop. He was not Stefan. He was no ripper. What the Hell, where were these thoughts even coming from?

I found myself relaxing into the sensations, almost leaving my body. It no longer felt so awful, though it was nothing like the heated bites I'd received when he was reducing me to a writhing mess beneath him in the bedroom. But the connection between us was almost tangible like this. My resentment was draining with my blood, replaced with feelings of desire and perhaps even acceptance.

Then he pulled away, smearing a small amount of blood around his lips when he roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist. His irises were aflame with intensity, increased in scope from my blood coursing through his veins. They seemed to glow from below his thick, dark, arched eyebrows.  
He leaned in again and licked the bite, smoothing the edges and removing any blood from the surface of my skin. His lapping was delectable. For a split second the roughness of his tongue reminded me of a jungle cat savoring its meal.

"Delicious, as usual." He smirked at me. "Now, you must be hungry. You really need to eat something." He sounded for all the world like a concerned caretaker.

I sighed. I was getting whiplash from his mood swings.

"I made eggs, pancakes, and sausage. I hope you like at least one of those things. Sorry, I never really paid much attention to what you ate." He seemed so needy at that moment that I was tempted to lie and say I hated them all just to crush him. He deserved it, after all. Instead, I sat down at the table and dug in to the plate there.

Damon sat across from me. I glanced up at him wearily before looking back down at my rapidly emptying plate.

"I don't want you to hate me." He murmured so softly I wasn't sure if he'd really said it or if it was in my head. I looked dumbly at him, waiting for some elaboration.

"I just need you to see that you love me. I know it's in there somewhere. It scares you, you fight it, but in the end, I swear I'm going to find it. Stefan can't satisfy the part of you that wants the pain and the pleasure, the part that begs you to let loose and have fun. You can never be yourself around him. It doesn't have to be that way with me, Elena."

His monologue surprised me. I tried not to let it show. "You're wrong. Why on earth would I love you? You hit me. You bit me. More than once. You are a killer and borderline rapist." My words sounded hollow even to me. A look of anger briefly passed over the onyx-haired beauty's face, but it was replaced with firm confidence.

"We'll see, Elena. My bet is, before I'm finished with you, I'll have persuaded you otherwise, some way or another."

I gulped. He smoldered. The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence.

****************************

"Are you ready?" Damon implored me. I was already dressed, so getting ready to go had really only required putting a scarf over the raw puncture wounds on my neck. I didn't have my purse or any other real belongings here at the boarding house. Wherever we were going, I was completely at Damon's mercy.

"Yes" I answered.

"You look stunning, as always." He said sincerely, eyeing my reflection in the mirror. I blushed a bit.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Damon grasped my hand and flew me down to the front door with vampire speed. I was disoriented but awed by such a close encounter with his vampire super-speed. I giggled a bit, which was out of character for me.

" That's it, let's have fun today! Forget about all of the heavy stuff!" Damon was practically glowing with excitement. He must've been as bored in this house as I had.

"That would be a lot easier if I wasn't being held captive by my boyfriend's murderous brother." I retorted, but there was no fire behind it. Far be it from me to ruin his good mood. Hell, maybe I'd partake in the lightheartedness.

In another millisecond I'd been picked up and carried to the passenger side of Damon's car. He reached over to strap me in.

"I can get it, you know." I rolled my eyes at his exaggerated chivalry.

"Yes, you could, but then I wouldn't get to do this." Damon grinned mischievously, placing a rather chaste kiss on my lips and then one to match on the end of my nose. It was oddly sweet, and I wasn't sure whether he was trying to appease me or if this was really Damon Salvatore kissing me on the nose.

Maybe I just needed to stop over-analyzing everything and let loose a little. Damon's words echoed back to me. "let loose and have fun…"

I smiled, trying to remember what it was like to live without obsessing and worrying.

"Where are we going?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
